A Gift To Remember - Melissa Hill
Published: 24/10/13
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 405
Oh wow. What a delight of a book.
I am reluctant to say I have never actually read anything by Melissa before. I have had Something From Tiffany's sitting on my shelf for goodness knows how long and still haven't got round to reading it. When Simon & Schuster's lovely people contacted me and asked if I would like to review Melissa's latest novel I jumped at the chance and was determined to read it and not let it sit on my shelf forever!
Let me just say, it arrived in the most glorious way! A little gift bag with a gold ribbon (cute!). Also, may I just comment on the pure beauty of the cover?! It looks even better up close and I think, I read somewhere, that the image of the trees and the couple were made out of book pages and a photograph was taken, so it's all real! No graphic designers here! Stunning idea and so beautifully done.
ANYWAY on with the book...
Darcy Archer is my hero. She works in a bookshop, loves books, loves book quotes, loves ANYTHING to do with books; perfect. In the days leading up to Christmas she is seriously busy trying to keep the bookshop running smoothly whilst trying to placate her Aunt Katherine and assure her that she really doesn't need a man in her life just yet. Darcy loves riding her bike everywhere she goes and is often warned that she'll end up having an accident if she insists on riding in the snow. Darcy, knowing she's a safe cyclists continues to ride around Manhattan until she does, accidentally, crash into a pedestrian and leave him unconscious. Darcy is shocked at what has happened but doesn't count on the mysterious adventure that this stranger is about to take her on. Oh, and not forgetting a gorgeous husky dog called Bailey.
I don't want to give anything else away about the plot because it is seriously clever! It's a fantastic mystery that had me confused right up until the end. Melissa has really perfected the art of mystery with this novel and I found myself quickly flicking through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Character wise, Melissa has excelled in creating characters that you genuinely care about and want to follow on their journey. They all developed well over the course of the book and I adored Darcy, perhaps because I saw a lot of myself in her. The man who she crashes into, Aidan, is a rather yummy character and I fell in love with his personality rather than the lifestyle he led.
I adored Melissa's writing style, it was slick, easy to follow and had some lovely descriptions. Half of the book is told from the perspective of one character and one from the other and it is so well executed. As soon as it crossed over voices, I was slightly worried it wouldn't work but the transition was seamless and completely understandable. I loved it! And, after being so impressed by this novel, I can't wait to go back and read her previous works.
A perfectly executed Christmas tale that will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 405
Oh wow. What a delight of a book.
I am reluctant to say I have never actually read anything by Melissa before. I have had Something From Tiffany's sitting on my shelf for goodness knows how long and still haven't got round to reading it. When Simon & Schuster's lovely people contacted me and asked if I would like to review Melissa's latest novel I jumped at the chance and was determined to read it and not let it sit on my shelf forever!
Let me just say, it arrived in the most glorious way! A little gift bag with a gold ribbon (cute!). Also, may I just comment on the pure beauty of the cover?! It looks even better up close and I think, I read somewhere, that the image of the trees and the couple were made out of book pages and a photograph was taken, so it's all real! No graphic designers here! Stunning idea and so beautifully done.
ANYWAY on with the book...
Darcy Archer is my hero. She works in a bookshop, loves books, loves book quotes, loves ANYTHING to do with books; perfect. In the days leading up to Christmas she is seriously busy trying to keep the bookshop running smoothly whilst trying to placate her Aunt Katherine and assure her that she really doesn't need a man in her life just yet. Darcy loves riding her bike everywhere she goes and is often warned that she'll end up having an accident if she insists on riding in the snow. Darcy, knowing she's a safe cyclists continues to ride around Manhattan until she does, accidentally, crash into a pedestrian and leave him unconscious. Darcy is shocked at what has happened but doesn't count on the mysterious adventure that this stranger is about to take her on. Oh, and not forgetting a gorgeous husky dog called Bailey.
I don't want to give anything else away about the plot because it is seriously clever! It's a fantastic mystery that had me confused right up until the end. Melissa has really perfected the art of mystery with this novel and I found myself quickly flicking through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Character wise, Melissa has excelled in creating characters that you genuinely care about and want to follow on their journey. They all developed well over the course of the book and I adored Darcy, perhaps because I saw a lot of myself in her. The man who she crashes into, Aidan, is a rather yummy character and I fell in love with his personality rather than the lifestyle he led.
I adored Melissa's writing style, it was slick, easy to follow and had some lovely descriptions. Half of the book is told from the perspective of one character and one from the other and it is so well executed. As soon as it crossed over voices, I was slightly worried it wouldn't work but the transition was seamless and completely understandable. I loved it! And, after being so impressed by this novel, I can't wait to go back and read her previous works.
A perfectly executed Christmas tale that will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Laura